PETA’s obsession with Shakespeare

We don’t remember just how many Shakespeare-inspired plays we have watched at the Philippine Education Theater Association (PETA) in Quezon City, but they must have been quite a number.

Leading these was the tremendously successful rap musical William that not only brought youngsters in hordes to the theater, but even had the BBC News agency reporting on it. There was also the classic makeover of King Lear into Haring Lear by National Artist for Literature Bien Lumbera with acclaimed director Nonon Padilla and stage design awardee Gino Gonzales interpreting the devastating and violent themes of love, madness, death and sacrifice. We also recall watching Thee Na Natuto: Love Songs for the Lovesick, a concert of some Shakespeare sonnets adapted into contemporary Pinoy songs.

What we had missed was the British Council/PETA offering of Hip Hop Shakespeare from hip-hop artist Akala that explored the social, cultural and linguistic parallels between the works of William Shakespeare and that of modern-day rappers through workshops and performances.

There was certainly no way we would miss D’Wonder Twins of Boac, the company’s latest production scheduled to play through March 3. This is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and involves a pair of twins, Viola and Sebastian, separated by a maritime calamity, then reunited after a comedy of errors. Viola, disguised as a eunuch, joins a royal court where the count takes a liking to her (as a him). PETA’s playwright Rody Vera and director Maribel Legarda successfully removes the 16th Century from the play and houses it in ’60s Manila, the twilight years of Philippine Cinema’s Golden Age. Innocence and romance ruled the airwaves as D’Wonder Twins, provincial wonders from Boac, Marinduque decide to take their act to the big city. On board a ferry, they meet disaster at sea.

Alone in Manila, Viola survives by selling Sampaguita in Malate. Film director Malvolio (a Shakespearean reminder of the story’s roots) is the butt of a love-twisted prank especially from rival Luciano, shallow big hit director who introduces the Bomba craze. Campanilla movie studio owner Doc Orsino courts BLV studio owner Olivia, not just for love’s sake, but more for the worldly gain such merger will bring. When lost twin Sebastian reappears, comic interactions reveal “bromance” undertones between Olivia, Orsino and a disguised Viola.

This adaptation cleverly contrasts Viola’s transition to a eunuch with the overly sexual persona of an Elvis impersonator while injecting fun ’50s dance moves and original musical numbers. Another interesting transition is Countess Olivia becoming a Doña Olivia, paying homage to an erstwhile LVN’s Doña Sisa. And while Shakespeare was no stranger to the sexual innuendo, we are treated with an almost slapstick performance by Viola who repeatedly finds herself repelling unwanted advances from both sexes. The ending is most fitting for our nation’s story that brings the experience truly home.

PETA president Cecilia Bulaong-Garrucho shared that they were unsure how school groups in the audience would react to this period piece. This is a generation where Facebook is a norm and attention spans are thin. Yet, the uproarious reactions from high schoolers told us otherwise.

We met Bernadette Enriquez of the University of Caloocan City on her way out with students who had watched the play. She said it was their first time to watch the play but having learned so much, she would be tying up activities of their English majors with PETA. Comments gathered from Ralph Angelo Marquez, Aldrina Nuñez, Amy Victoria, Allyssa Buban, Alexander Jay Gecomo, Danilo Tabontabon Jr. all from University of Caloocan ranged from “No words could describe my amazement,” “so inspiring,” “Cris Villonco played it so well,” to “Honestly, all characters did their best. I saw how motivated they are.”

Cecilia quipped, “Their laughter is our payment.” It is also one of the greatest services a theater company can achieve to bring to the stage timeless classics like Shakespeare’s to our nation’s youth and elicit from them keen attention. We have no doubt that the journey from adaptation to the original work will be made easier.

Congratulations to the cast composed of Cris, Chrome Cosio, Shamaine Buencamino, Lex Morcor, Gie Onida, Paolo Rodriguez, Eric de la Cruz, Riki Benedicto, Roi Calilong, Gino Ramirez, Kat Castillo, Tricia Huseña and the rest of the ensemble.

For inquiries on D’Wonder Twins of Boac, contact PETA at tel. no. 725-6244 or 0927-3709581.

(E-mail the author at [email protected].)